Innovation CIty Presents
Starts
Innovation City’s Startup of The Year Competition
Since its launch in 2022, Innovation City’s Startup of the Year competition has become more than just a title. It’s a platform for breakout companies to move from hidden gem to household name. Each year, ten high-growth startups are selected from across South Africa and invited to compete in front of a panel of investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem enablers.
Start up of the year 2025
Top 10 2025
2025 Judges
Entry Criteria
Eligable Sectors
Fintech
Medtech
Biotech
Healthtech
Agritech
Edutech
Greentech
Gaming
Web3
Afrocentric Innovation
Team of 2+
Must be a team of two or more people.
Viability
Established product or service market fit.
Revenue
The business must be generating monthly recurring revenue.
Location
Must have an SA address.
Past winners
AI Diagnostics
AI Diagnostics for their groundbreaking TB screening tool. The innovative solution, leveraging AI-enabled digital stethoscopes, enables early and cost-effective detection of Tuberculosis, showcasing the transformative potential of technology in healthcare.
Start up of the year 2024
Wamly
Wamly, South Africa’s largest one-way video interview platform, was named Tech Startup of the Year. The company, founded by industrial psychologist and talent expert Francois de Wet, provides innovative solutions for high-profile corporates and CEOs in the recruitment process. The company’s success during the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance of its one-way video interview platform, which helps save time and create efficiency in the hiring process.
Start up of the year 2023
Kena Health
Kena’s team have managed to build and launch their health care app business in a highly regulated and very sophisticated $37 billion industry. While the Telehealth care industry in South Africa is still in its infancy, the jury scored Kena highly on its ability to maneuver a business in a difficult landscape wracked with regulations. Kena has a chance to change the landscape of affordable health care through technology, for tens of millions of people.
Start up of the year 2022
Sponsorships
We’re currently inviting sponsors, goodie bag partners, and brand collaborators to be part of this unique gathering of South Africa’s most innovative women.
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